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Business News/ Politics / Policy/  Government, RSS-backed trade unions set for face-off
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Government, RSS-backed trade unions set for face-off

Unions plan nationwide stir against govt's move to open up railways to FDI and raise cap on FDI in insurance, defence

A file photo of a Bharatiya Kisan Sangh rally. Senior RSS members said the organization will not intervene to resolve the differences between these affiliated organizations and the government. Photo: AFPPremium
A file photo of a Bharatiya Kisan Sangh rally. Senior RSS members said the organization will not intervene to resolve the differences between these affiliated organizations and the government. Photo: AFP

New Delhi: A tussle is brewing between the nearly three-month-old Narendra Modi government and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)-affiliated trade unions that are preparing to launch a nationwide stir against the government’s recent decision to open up the railways to foreign direct investment (FDI) and raise the cap on FDI in insurance and defence.

These organizations are also annoyed that the government has delayed taking a final decision on demands to ban field trials of genetically modified crops.

The Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) and Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) say the government should come out with a “white paper" on all these issues setting out its position. They say there should be a concerted debate across the country before the government takes any further steps.

The SJM, BMS, BKS and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) all have deep ideological links with the RSS. Many of their leaders are also members of the RSS.

Taking the first steps towards organizing a nationwide protest against the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, the BMS, a workers’ union, has invited around 700 people from various other central trade unions for a conference in Delhi. The three-day conference is scheduled to start on 8 September.

“We tried to speak to the government and raise our concerns but so far none of the ministers have given us time to meet. So we are organizing a conference, we will first inform all the central trade unions about the issues that we want to raise and then it will lead to nationwide protests. We are opposed to FDI in insurance, defence, railways and field trails of genetically modified crops, there is no reason why we should change our stand," said Vrijesh Upadhyay, general secretary, BMS.

Upadhyay accused the BJP of changing its stand on allowing FDI in insurance. “Isn’t it strange that BJP was opposed to FDI in insurance sector when it was in opposition; and within months of coming to power, they are pushing for the same FDI in insurance sector. Somebody in the government needs to explain the position of BJP and why it suddenly changed," Upadhyay said.

Meanwhile, the SJM is preparing to take part in discussions with a select committee of the Rajya Sabha, formed during the recent Parliament session to study the controversial Bill proposing to raise the FDI cap in insurance from 26% to 49%. The government had to agree to the demand of opposition parties to send the Bill to a select committee.

“We welcome the stand taken by opposition parties; we will take part in the discussion process. There is no reason why FDI should be allowed in insurance sector. The government has to explain its stand first, it should come out with a ‘white paper’ and tell people whether FDI has helped people or not," said Ashwani Mahajan, national convener, SJM.

Mahajan added SJM will also hold discussions with think tanks and encourage debates on the issue before starting a nationwide campaign against the government.

The government has raised the cap on FDI in defence to 49% from 26%. It has proposed to allow 100% FDI in railway infrastructure.

Senior members of the RSS said the organization will not step in to resolve the differences between these affiliated organizations and the government because it was the duty of the government to convince stakeholders about its decisions.

“The RSS is not a grievance redressal mechanism of the government or other affiliated organizations. There is no ideological difference between the government and these affiliated organizations; therefore, there is no need to intervene also. Just because the BJP is in power does not mean these affiliated organizations will agree to all decisions of the government and not oppose any move of the government," said an RSS leader who is aware of the development.

BMS’s Upadhyay said the RSS will not intervene as it has not been approached, and the differences with the government are not organizational issues that need to be discussed within an organizational set-up.

Political analysts following the development believe the RSS is allowing its affiliated organizations to take a stand against the BJP-led government because it is trying to set up a new equation with the government. “The victory of Narendra Modi in the general election has created an image that he has overshadowed the RSS. It is possible the RSS wants to change this equation," said A.K. Verma, a Kanpur-based political analyst.

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Published: 19 Aug 2014, 11:24 PM IST
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